


Residuum

by TheMulletWhisperer



Series: Regulations be Damned [6]
Category: Elder Scrolls, Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Genre: Assault, Battle, Blood, Blood and Gore, Explosions, Gen, Implied/Referenced Torture, Prison, Thalmor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-24
Updated: 2016-05-24
Packaged: 2018-06-10 09:31:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,535
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6950770
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheMulletWhisperer/pseuds/TheMulletWhisperer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The first step in striking a blow against the Thalmor in Skyrim is taken by Galina.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Residuum

**Author's Note:**

> So now that I did a pure fluff thing, there has to be something with actual plot. There's no fluff in this one, just Galina being epic.
> 
> WARNING: There is some pretty violent shit in this one, "Graphic Depictions of Violence" shouldn't be taken lightly. If that sort of thing bothers you, I'd avoid reading this.

Lake Llinalta. Some stories say it’s cursed, others say that the curse is bullshit. Many would refuse to so much as go near the lake, and others would capitalize on this panic. The Thalmor, it seemed, were firmly entrenched in the latter category, far from believing the stories, but the first to capitalize on them; and in the most wretched way. One of the largest prisons they’d constructed in Skyrim, planted right in the center if Llinalta, had been built for the sole purpose of holding so-called ‘heretics’ until they could be transferred somewhere proper for questioning. Beyond the shadow of doubt, it was crucial to their information network and secret police-esque activities.

Galina knew this, and she knew well the fact that the bigger they are, the harder they fall. Not only would this cripple their heretic-hunting operations, but destroying it would overall weaken their presence in the province. She intended to capitalize upon this fact, along with a few of her friends.

The Residuum, a collective of Imperial Septim loyalists, had their eyes on the same target for a long time, but lacked proper information--information that Galina was willing to provide. It was their full intention to break the Thalmor and depose the corrupt and weak Mede dynasty and impose a new ruler upon the weak-kneed ‘Empire’ that ruled wrongfully in Cyrodiil. Taking this prison was the first step to their grander plans. 

Along with a platoon of cool, gray steel-clad Imperials, Galina watched from the safety of the thick and shadowed forest across bridge to the prison--the only way in and out without being forced to swim through frigid waters. Thanks to this, there were arguably more guards on the bridge than there were on a meeting between every general of the Imperial army and the Thalmor Ambassador. There was even a contingency of Penitus Oculatus agents patrolling the bastion, though even from the distance she could tell that they were a token effort at maintaining the smile-through-clenched-teeth alliance with the Empire. They were no grunts, but they definitely weren’t elites either.

Regardless of the Imperials, the group would still have a veritable army of Elves to push through, and doubtlessly more inside. The goal, quite simply, was to release the prisoners, neutralize the Warden, and  then bring the place to the ground. A tall order, but not impossible. With the floor plans in mind, all she needed was for the Residuum to keep the heat off of her while she dealt with what she had to do. Now all that was left was--and they were already charging.

From along the entire treeline, Imperial soldier in restored 3rd-era Imperial cavalry armor charged the bridge, giving the Thalmor only a moment to realize what was happening before their defensive line was overrun by steel. It fell quickly to the onslaught, but the second line was better prepared, posing opposition to the Residuum forces and halting them where they were.

At that rather jarring signal, Galina hopped the rocks and flipped her hood up, sliding down the incline and charging herself. Though the dead Thalmor bodies very nearly tripped her up, she continued forward until she was just behind the friendly Imperials, finding a break in the Thalmor defense and slipping through near-unhindered. Though one or two Justiciars spotted her, their distraction proved a fatal mistake as they were cut down by the Residuum forces.

From here, there was still another line of defense, turtling behind massive tower shields emblazoned with an overtly egocentric eagle. The downside to this defense tactic, however, was their inability to see past the golden steel. It’d certainly hold back her reinforcements, but to her, it was easy as tripping Arkved up.

With a moment's’ hesitation, Galina charged forward, planting a light foot directly in the center of one of the shields and launching herself into the air, startling the holder of the shield. Doing a favor to her backup, she pulled a small orb from her belt and shook it vigorously before throwing it  _ hard _ into the back of one of the Altmer, a decent-sized explosion blowing him to literal pieces, and leaving a large gap in the defense just in time for the Imperials to slaughter the remaining opposition. 

Though they still remained under archer fire, they were quickly sheltered by the prison walls.

And what they saw inside came as a shock.

The prison was circular, just as outside, but the walls were divided into floors, each of which was packed with just about as many cells could fit in the stonework. It would take them days to get all the cells open by hand. Which meant that there was likely some sort of ‘open all’ switch. It had to be somewhere.

Regardless, there was no time to look around, as the reserve forces came from what seemed like nowhere. The infantry had engaged and was already losing numbers to the entrenched Thalmor, it was up to Galina to finish the job and give the deaths of the soldiers purpose.

She took off towards what looked like an office, the sounds of battle raging around her, above her, below her, everywhere. 

Opposition moving forward was sparse at best, only a few soldiers in her path. With her barbed blade in hand, she made short work of the mer, leaving behind her a trail of blood, severed limbs, and one particularly savaged Justiciar who had ended up disemboweled. 

All at once, Galina barreled through the door, pulling the hinges straight from the wall, splintering the frame, and finding an arrow lodged in the wood just above her head. There was a lever in the room marked ‘release’, which was a good sign, however, there also stood the commander of the prison, with a broadhead arrow aimed right for her.

“One move, human, and you will adorn the rafters of the prison.”

“Huh, and here I thought your egos took up all the space.”

This seemed to enrage him more than it should’ve, “Shut up, whore! On your knees!”

“The fuck are you on about?” Despite her apprehension, she seemed to have little choice, getting down on the ground one knee at a time.

Instead of responding, the Altmer, High Warden Orintur, advanced quickly, nearly tearing the buckles of his robes as he approached--and all at once, she knew what was going to happen, and that she needed to act fast.

Never had she so thanked the gods that she’d chosen to train herself to move quickly rather than hit harder. With one fluid motion, she rolled forward, drawing the ebon ballock dagger from her bootwraps and driving it into the unprepared Warden’s leg, sending him to one knee himself. She dragged the dagger upwards, rending his flesh as if it were butter. With ease, she pulled it out and struck him over the head, knocking him out cold. 

Not even bothering to catch her bearings, she leapt towards the lever and pulled it back with a grunt. 

All at once, the prison was filled with the deafening noise of cells swinging open, followed by the collective roar of the prisoners, who charged their Thalmor captors and utterly overwhelmed them, ignoring the remaining Residuum infantry. That was two objectives complete, and only one more to go.

On her signal, the Residuum began ushering the prisoners out the door, evacuating themselves one group at a time. The process gave Galina the proper time to figure out a plan. 

She knew for a fact that the supply room was positively filled with Kindlepitch, and that even a single spark would trigger an explosion. She’d even figured how to light it without endangering herself. But the question was, what to do with the Warden. She’d planned to kill him, but something told her not to. That something greater could be accomplished by taking him.

And so she did.

She reached down and hoisted the warden over her shoulders, moving at a veritable crawl towards the door with a bleeding, unconscious Altmer weighing her down considerably. 

Eventually, however, she made it, and at the door, she removed yet another one of the spheres she’d used to break the shield wall from her belt. With an underhanded toss, it sailed down into the depths of the prison, right towards the stockroom. 

As soon as her foot met the crunch of grass…

_ Kaboom _

The fireball could be seen for miles around, the fort collapsing into rubble and rock behind her, ending anything that was left inside. 

The Residuum forces were taking stock of their losses and gains, though Galina didn’t much care for what they came up with--they’d always been able to manage themselves.

What she was worried about right now, was the Warden.

 

=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=

 

From a tree branch near the Thalmor embassy, in sight of the gate, the mutilated body of High Warden Orintur hung, a sight that would sicken and repulse any new blood of the Thalmor. Golden skin flayed, covered in bone-deep gashes, and missing an ear. 

Of course, he was also missing any scrap of clothes...as well as another glaring bit of his anatomy.

In his chest, the blood still fresh, was carved, “Superior Altmer.”


End file.
